5 Reasons To Test for Asbestos
When you hear the term asbestos, you probably think of danger. You’d be right to do so, asbestos particles have been classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute. Asbestos is a known material that causes cancer in humans and is extremely hazardous to your health. Our experts in asbestos removal services discuss in our new blog 5 reasons to test for Asbestos in your home, office, commercial building, or any other structure that humans enter.
Even if you think asbestos isn’t an issue in your house or building, testing for the substance can help you avoid many potential asbestos dangers and gain peace of mind. It’s hard to detect asbestos since the particles are not visible to the human eye. This is especially important when you are taking on a renovation or you notice damage to structural materials because you may not see it, but asbestos particles are spreading through the air and may end up in your lungs where the danger begins.
Besides being a well-known carcinogen, asbestos has also been linked to several serious health issues if ingested or inhaled. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other conditions are connected to asbestos. Unfortunately, many building materials used in homes and buildings before the 1980s contained contaminated materials. With asbestos, common locations include everything from drywall to ceiling materials to asbestos floor tiles.
When should you test for asbestos? Learn the 5 reasons to test for Asbestos now.
First, What is Asbestos?
The National Cancer Institute describes the material with the following, “Asbestos is the name given to six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads for use in commercial and industrial applications.”
These properties, along with the fact that the fiber bundles in Asbestos do not conduct electrical currents and are resistant to heat, fire, and many chemicals, make them an ideal construction material. For these reasons, they were used in a wide variety of industries and applications.
While use varies depending on the industry they are used in, for residential construction they are present in an abundance of materials.
Where You Find Asbestos
Asbestos can be found in a variety of home construction materials. Here are some of the most common places you can find asbestos in your home or office:
Asbestos Piping Insulation
The pipes that are used for hot water were often coated with asbestos material before the 1980s. If your home or office has older piping systems, they may be insulated or made with asbestos. These asbestos materials can be used within the pipe material itself or even in the pipe wrapping to insulate exposed pipes or make them fireproof.
Asbestos Paint
If your home has older, textured paint, or if it contains troweled or spray on popcorn ceilings that were popular in the 20 century then asbestos may be present. These materials often contained asbestos to make these popcorn ceilings more fire resistant.
Furnaces
Although you may not expect it, you might even find asbestos in your home furnace. Asbestos was a common material in furnaces because it is an easy chemical to work with while remaining resistant to high temperatures found inside the furnace. Common places it was used include the insulator for the boilers and burners.
It could also be used furing the construction and installation process for the furnaces. The use of asbestos also extended to the furnace ducts, furnace cement, fireboxes, stoves and other places.
Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles
In older homes, you could be standing on top of asbestos and not even realize it, no seriously. One of the popular flooring tiles before the 1980s was the vinyl asbestos floor tiling.
Since it was a much cheaper alternative to real wood flooring, the use of asbestos floor tiles was very common. It was also frequently added to vinyl flooring products because of its unique strength and heat resistant properties.
Asbestos Roofing and Siding
Even certain old cements were mixed with asbestos. Many of the older cement siding shingles and cement roofing materials contain asbestos fibers. You should also be aware that it can also contaminate the window putty used during construction as well. These asbestos fibers made the roofing elements more durable, allowing them to better protect the home, or so they thought. Asbestos can be found in asphalt roofing shingles, flashing, and even siding adhesives.
Patching Compound
A common ingredient in patching compounds is asbestos fibers found in sheetrock mud or wall-joint compounds. Materials manufactured before between the 1940s and 1980s are likely to contain asbestos fibers. This substance is used to bind drywall panels together after installation.
According to the 2011 American Housing Survey, the median year in which homes were built was in is 1974. That means a large number of homes built in the USA are still at risk. Air Duct
Asbestos Insulation in Walls and Ceilings
Another place that you need to check for asbestos is in certain types of insultations for homes including vermiculite, blue asbestos, loose-fill or blown in, and batt insulation. These were common insulation types in older home construction. You need to be very cautious with these materials.
Old Appliances
Asbestos can also be found in select plastic resins used in appliance installation. Older appliances, like refrigerators and washing machines, have been found to contain the substance as a gasket or insulating material or as a heat shield.
Door Gaskets
Asbestos was commonly used in door gaskets, which seal gaps around the perimeter of an entrance. At the time it was considered a highly effective insulation material that helped keep doors sealed from outdoor elements.
Coverings
Air ducts may have been insulated with material similar to cardboard that contained asbestos materials. Even some duct tape that was used to seal air ducts contained asbestos.
As you can see there are numerous places where Asbestos can be found in the home. So does that mean you need to go get your home inspected right away? Possibly, but possibly not! Our experts have detailed the main 5 reasons to test for asbestos materials.
1. DIY Construction Projects Can Disturb Asbestos
DIY home projects are very common, but many homeowners don’t understand the risks of disturbing materials that could contain asbestos. Whether you’re replacing flooring, wall, piping, or ceiling material, it’s a good idea to test everything to ensure you’re not exposing yourself, workers, or your family to asbestos. It is never worth the risk and shouldn’t be ignored.
You should look for a professional at-home test kit to verify that you’re not encountering asbestos. Order an at-home asbestos test kit and rest assured that you aren’t putting you and your household’s health at risk.
2. Asbestos in Structures Built Before 1980
If you own a building or home that was built before 1980, you should consider getting materials tested for asbestos. This is especially important when materials are being replaced or moved. As we explained previously, asbestos was very common in materials like drywall, vinyl flooring, popcorn ceilings, plumbing fixtures, and roof materials, among others, so ensure that you are testing everything.
3. Disaster Damage can Disturb or Release Asbestos
Whether natural or manmade, a disaster that caused any changes or shifts to your home or building means you should test for asbestos. When building materials are disturbed at all, asbestos may be released into the air. Make sure this isn’t the case by testing any shifting materials right away.
4. Asbestos Materials Are Crumbled or Damaged
Structures will eventually see some normal wear and tear over the years, even if you haven’t experienced a disaster or renovation. When you notice any crumbling or damage in tiles, walls, ceilings, shingles, siding, and other materials, test for asbestos so you know if the substance is present or not.
5. You Are Buying a New Property
Finally, when you’re purchasing a new home or building that was built before 1980, it’s a wise practice to test materials for asbestos. This helps you understand if asbestos will become an issue or not before you sign the final agreement. You can avoid health issues or costly renovations down the road by knowing in advance. Most final home inspections do NOT test for Asbestos.
If you do not require a specific test for Asbestos presence you might be missing a major issue before purchasing your new home. Discovering asbestos can become costly and is definitely something that you want to address before purchasing the home.
Reduce Asbestos Risk with Professional Asbestos Testing and Removal Services
You never want to risk asbestos exposure. These are five great reasons to test for asbestos now. Anytime building materials are disturbed or changed, it’s a good idea to double-check that you’re not releasing toxic chemicals into the air that can cause health problems.
We hope our 5 reasons to test for asbestos have helped ease your mind or inspired you to create an action plan. When you need assistance from asbestos removal experts, turn to the team at Asbestos Project Management. The business has been in operation since 1984 and prioritizes the satisfaction of customers. Contact the team today to learn how to get a free estimate for asbestos removal.
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